CESs are used to expand and differentiate cells. Cell expansion systems are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,162,225 and 6,001,585 generally describe cell expansion systems designed for cell expansion.
The potential use of stem cells in a variety of treatments and therapies has achieved particular attention. Cell expansion systems can be used to grow stem cells, as well as other types of cells, such as bone marrow cells. Stem cells which are expanded from donor cells can be used to repair or replace damaged or defective tissues and have broad clinical applications for a wide range of diseases. Recent advances in the regenerative medicine field demonstrates that stem cells have properties such as proliferation and self-renewal capacity, maintenance of the unspecialized state, and the ability to differentiate into specialized cells under particular conditions.
Cell expansion systems include one or more compartments for growing the cells, such as a cell growth chamber (also referred to herein as the “bioreactor”). However, a CES with a stationary cell growth chamber may limit the production of cells as compared to a system that provides some ability to adjust the position of the cell growth chamber. By way of example, adjusting the orientation of the cell growth chamber during a priming sequence allows the air or gas bubbles or pockets residing within the cell growth chamber to be driven from the cell growth chamber as the cell growth chamber is primed with a priming fluid. In addition, it is also advantageous to adjust the orientation of the cell growth chamber while cells are growing within the cell growth chamber to mitigate problems associated with cells settling within the cell growth chamber under the influence of gravity.
Accordingly, there is a need for a system of adjusting the position of a cell growth chamber associated with a cell expansion system. The present disclosure addresses this and other needs.